Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department this afternoon (22) on charges of misappropriating government funds during a foreign trip.
This was when he was summoned before the department for questioning regarding this allegation.
Accordingly, Ranil Wickremesinghe was produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court at around 3.00 pm and the legal proceedings are currently ongoing.
This is the first time in Sri Lankan history that a former president has been arrested.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had gone to New York, USA, during his term, on 22 and 23 September 2023, to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Before returning to the island after completing the tour, the former President had gone to London to attend the graduation ceremony of his wife, Mrs. Maithri Wickremesinghe.
The invitation had been officially extended to the former President and his wife by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton in the UK, Professor John Rafter, through the Sri Lankan High Commission in London.
However, the police stated that a complaint had recently been filed with the Criminal Investigation Department by an individual alleging that the former President had misused government funds during the relevant tour.
Accordingly, an investigation had been initiated and the department had also recently recorded statements from former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Mr. Wickremesinghe’s personal assistant Sandra Perera.
Subsequently, Mr. Wickremesinghe was notified to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department today.
Accordingly, he appeared at the Criminal Investigation Department at around 9 a.m. today.
After recording statements for about 4 hours, the former President was arrested at around 1.15 pm.
He was later produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court at around 3.00 pm today.
At that time, many of his supporters, including opposition members, had arrived at the court premises.
Accordingly, the legal proceedings relating to the former President, who was produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court, were taken up before Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura.
When the suspect, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, was produced before the court, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris made a presentation on behalf of the prosecution.
The Additional Solicitor General stated that an internal investigation was conducted at the Presidential Secretariat following a complaint made to the President by a person named V.S. Karunaratne on 17.03.2025. Subsequently, a complaint was made to the Inspector General of Police by the Secretary to the President on 23.05.2025.
The relevant incident is that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, during his term as President, engaged in an official visit to Cuba and the United States from 13.09.2023 to 20.09.2023 and then engaged in a private visit on 22 and 23.09.2023, claiming it was an official visit, thereby misappropriating government funds.
Accordingly, after recording statements from 33 witnesses regarding the relevant incident, Mr. Dileepa Peiris stated that Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the 8th Executive President of the country, was named as a suspect and arrested.
He then provided a basic explanation of the original incident.
“Your Excellency, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the President, was on an official visit to Cuba and the United States from 13 to 20 September 2023. Thereafter, on the 22nd, he attended a graduation ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton in England. This was on the occasion of Mrs. Wickremesinghe receiving an honorary degree. A group of 10 people, including officers from the Presidential Secretariat and the Police, participated in this questionable visit. The total amount spent over a period of two days is Rs. 166 lakh. The amount has been paid by the Presidential Secretariat in the amount of Rs. 133 lakh and the Police and Navy in the amount of more than Rs. 32 lakh. It should be noted here that the first document related to this visit was found on August 16, 2023. It states that this was a private visit. However, by the 7th of September, the private visit had become simply a visit. After arrival, these documents state that it was an official visit. Who amended these is a serious issue. When we questioned Sandra Perera, who was the suspect’s private secretary at the time, she said that at first she thought it was a private visit, but then the suspect, as the President, said that it was not a private visit. In this regard, when the then Secretary to the President, Saman Ekanayake, was questioned, he said that the President usually takes one day off when he goes on long trips, to countries like Dubai and Doha, and that he approved the money thinking that London had been chosen as that day off. The suspect had received an invitation for this visit in question from a private university, and for this to become an official visit, he must have received an invitation from the British government. When we questioned this suspect about the visit in question, he said that there is no difference between official and private, and that state funds can be used for any visit.”
The Additional Solicitor General also explained the expenses incurred during this visit.
“Sir, the University of Wolverhampton is located about 206 kilometers from London, and yet, Sir, he stayed in a suite at the luxurious Landmark Hotel in London. From there, it is about 400 kilometers to the university. Then, two rooms were reserved near the University of Wolverhampton, about 5 minutes away. If we look at the expenses incurred here, 45 lakhs have been spent on vehicle rentals, 3 lakhs on food and drinks, 34 lakhs on accommodation, and 27 lakhs on the use of guests. Sir, these expenses were incurred during the period when the Supreme Court was hearing a case regarding the bankruptcy of the country due to a dollar shortage. To be precise, during this period, I had to go on an official trip to Bangladesh. It was very difficult to find $75. During the interrogation of a police officer who accompanied the President on this trip, he said that the President did not come out of the Landmark Hotel at any other time except to attend the graduation ceremony. This means that the President did not engage in any kind of meeting with any head of state during this period. This means that this was a completely private trip. This is like a poverty-stricken family collecting money in a pot to live on and not giving it to other members, but taking the pot and eating and drinking at home.”
Furthermore, the Additional Solicitor General stated that he strongly opposes granting bail since charges have been filed against this suspect under the Public Property Act.
“Sir, the investigations in this case are not over yet. More suspects have been arrested. One of the most prominent is Mr. Saman Ekanayake, who was the former Secretary to the President. This former President has been charged under the Public Property Act. This means that we need to present a specific statement of facts to obtain. Just as the eyes of the goddess of justice are closed, I request you to make your decisions based only on the evidence and facts presented in the case without looking at the merits of any suspect.”
Afterwards, President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne presented his arguments before the court on behalf of the former President.
“The prosecution says that this was confirmed by an internal audit report conducted by the Presidential Secretariat. However, Your Honor, I present to your court a report submitted by the National Auditor General regarding that incident. None of this is confirmed by that report. It has been possible to file this case today because the President revoked the immunity of the suspect when he was President. But there must be a reason to file a case. This is a baseless case filed maliciously. Your Honor, at one time, a YouTuber who went to a shop told everyone that Ranil would be remanded within two days. How can you say that?”
Attorney-at-law Anuja Premaratne continued to present the facts before the court.
“Your Honor, I would like to clarify the health condition of this suspect. He has been suffering from a heart condition for the past 7 years. He also has uncontrolled diabetes. He also has high blood pressure. In addition, he is undergoing treatment for several other diseases. Since this is a special occasion, Your Honor, I would like to present to the court a special fact that no one in Sri Lanka has known so far. That is that his wife is suffering from cancer and arthritis. The whole country knows that they have no children. Therefore, he is the only one who can encourage her. They have only each other. Consider that as a special fact. Also, prison is not a place of special security for a former president. I would also like to mention that he has to attend the Commonwealth Youth Council to be held in India the day after tomorrow as the chief guest. I request the court to consider all these matters and release him on bail as special matters under the Public Property Act.”
Here, Fort Magistrate Ms. Nilupuli Lankapura asked the Additional Solicitor General of the prosecution, Mr. Dileepa Peiris, what his opinion was regarding the report of the National Audit Office submitted to the court by the defendant.
In response, Mr. Dileepa Peiris stated that the audit report was an audit report conducted in general for a year and not an audit report conducted in relation to a specific matter.
The Additional Solicitor General also stated that what he had submitted to the court was an audit report conducted within the Presidential Secretariat regarding a specific matter.
